Ghana's First Deputy Speaker of Parliament has accused Minority Leader Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin of orchestrating recent chaos during ministerial vetting.
Bernard Ahiafor claims Afenyo-Markin directed New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs on the Appointments Committee to disrupt proceedings on January 30, 2025. Speaking to JoyNews on February 3, Ahiafor said the Minority Leader issued orders before strategically leaving the scene.
"The Minority Leader played it smart and safe. I heard him asking them to do some of the things that they did. But when they were about to start, he left the room," said Ahiafor, who represents Akatsi South. He added that Afenyo-Markin instructed Jerry Ahmed Shaib to block MP Akandoh from taking his seat.
The disruption occurred during the vetting of Health Minister-designate Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Foreign Affairs Minister-designate Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. The Minority Caucus alleged the Majority Caucus broke an agreement to vet only four nominees that day.
The incident turned physical, with damaged microphones, overturned furniture, and a flipped vetting table. Speaker Alban Bagbin responded by suspending four MPs for two weeks: Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Alhassan Tampuli, and Jerry Ahmed Shaib.
Ahiafor defended the suspension length, noting that "eight sitting days amount to two weeks because the sitting days of Parliament in a week are four."
A special committee led by Ho West MP Emmanuel Bedzrah must investigate the incident within 10 days. Speaker Bagbin ordered a police investigation and declared MPs would pay for property damage instead of using public funds.
Bernard Ahiafor claims Afenyo-Markin directed New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs on the Appointments Committee to disrupt proceedings on January 30, 2025. Speaking to JoyNews on February 3, Ahiafor said the Minority Leader issued orders before strategically leaving the scene.
"The Minority Leader played it smart and safe. I heard him asking them to do some of the things that they did. But when they were about to start, he left the room," said Ahiafor, who represents Akatsi South. He added that Afenyo-Markin instructed Jerry Ahmed Shaib to block MP Akandoh from taking his seat.
The disruption occurred during the vetting of Health Minister-designate Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Foreign Affairs Minister-designate Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. The Minority Caucus alleged the Majority Caucus broke an agreement to vet only four nominees that day.
The incident turned physical, with damaged microphones, overturned furniture, and a flipped vetting table. Speaker Alban Bagbin responded by suspending four MPs for two weeks: Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Alhassan Tampuli, and Jerry Ahmed Shaib.
Ahiafor defended the suspension length, noting that "eight sitting days amount to two weeks because the sitting days of Parliament in a week are four."
A special committee led by Ho West MP Emmanuel Bedzrah must investigate the incident within 10 days. Speaker Bagbin ordered a police investigation and declared MPs would pay for property damage instead of using public funds.
